Rodent Models and Imaging Techniques to Study Liver Regeneration

Abstract

The liver has the unique capability of regeneration from various injuries. Different animal models and in vitro methods are used for studying the processes and mechanisms of liver regeneration. Animal models were established either by administration of hepatotoxic chemicals or by surgical approach. The administration of hepatotoxic chemicals results in the death of liver cells and in subsequent hepatic regeneration and tissue repair. Surgery includes partial hepatectomy and portal vein occlusion or diversion: hepatectomy leads to compensatory regeneration of the remnant liver lobe, whereas portal vein occlusion leads to atrophy of the ipsilateral lobe and to compensatory regeneration of the contralateral lobe. Adaptation of modern radiological imaging technologies to the small size of rodents made the visualization of rodent intrahepatic vascular anatomy possible. Advanced knowledge of the detailed intrahepatic 3D anatomy enabled the establishment of refined surgical techniques. The same technology allows the visualization of hepatic vascular regeneration. The development of modern histological image analysis tools improved the quantitative assessment of hepatic regeneration. Novel image analysis tools enable us to quantify reliably and reproducibly the proliferative rate of hepatocytes using whole-slide scans, thus reducing the sampling error. In this review, the refined rodent models and the newly developed imaging technology to study liver regeneration are summarized. This summary helps to integrate the current knowledge of liver regeneration and promises an enormous increase in hepatological knowledge in the near future. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel

The effect of the aqueous extract Peumus boldus on the proliferation of hepatocytes and liver function in rats submitted to expanded hepatectomy

“…Despite technical advances and high experience of liver resection of specialized centers, there are still relatively high rates of postoperative morbidity and mortality associated with posthepatectomy complications, including fever, hemorrhage, bile leakage, liver failure, pleural effusion, and subphrenic infection 3 . Therefore, depending on the severity of the hepatic injury and consequent hepatectomy, the time-course of liver restoration may be too long, which may lead to long-term hepatic deficiency 4 .…”

“…Many substances have been tried in partially hepatectomizated animals to improve liver regenerative process in rodent model 4 and herbal products appear as important alternatives in this search 5,6 . Although Brazil has a rich botanic variety and traditionally uses medicinal plants, including Peamus boldus, most of the time it is based only on the popular knowledge, with no pre-clinical or clinical evidence 7 .…”

The MRI Sepsis Score: An Innovative Tool for the Evaluation of Septic Peritonitis in Mice Using 7-Tesla Small Animal MRI

“…Selective imaging of malignant ascites in mice is one such study [10]. Another MRI imaging model for liver regeneration could reliably and reproducibly quantify the proliferative rate of hepatocytes using MRI in rodents [11]. MRI plays an important role in the molecular and functional imaging of cancer [12].…”

Modern Methods for Assessing the Regenerative Potential of the Liver after Partial Hepatectomy (Review)

“…Liver regeneration is an important component of the reparative process after a part of the functioning parenchyma is lost due to damage (necrosis) or surgical resection [1]. The regenerative process in the liver is represented by hyperplastic activation of viable cells (hepatocytes and sinusoidal cells) in the remaining undamaged tissue.…”

“…A comprehensive assessment of the regenerative potential and function of the would-be remnant enables to plan the surgical intervention for liver resection in primary and metastatic tumors, as well as for liver transplantation from a relative donor [1].…”